The Children and the Storm
by tikinottyki
Summary: the 5th Story in a Series  War is about to break out among the noble vampires, and there's nothing Zero or Kaname can do to stop it. However, a secret organization and an old friend just might be able to.


A thick mist had settled over the graveyard, the silver light of the full moon casting shadows over the gravestones and across the spiked fence. The cemetery, which was stunningly beautiful during the light of day, was the image from a horror film by night. A flock of crows gathered in the trees, and off in the distance two cats hissed and yelled loudly at each other. The iron gate creaked sharply as a lone man entered the yard, his face hidden by a dark hood. In one hand he carried a shovel; in the other, he held a lantern, the dim light faintly showing the path through the rows of the dead. A black cat crossed the path ahead of him, its yellow gaze pausing on him as back and neck hairs stood on end. When the man took a step forward, the cat hissed, and in retaliation, thick fur suddenly grew on the man's face as he snarled, snapping pearly white fangs loudly that sent the cat scampering into the shadows. The fur receded, along with the fangs, and with a grunt, the man returned to his search. He walked for a while, studying the names on the stones marking each grave. Then he paused before one, a disgruntled snarl escaping his lips as he noticed the damage. "Robbers, most likely," he said to himself as he knelt by the disturbed grave, but he realized he spoke too soon. Claw marks marred the earth and wood splinters from the coffin were embedded into the dirt up to six feet below him, meaning whoever was buried did not stay dead for long.

Then a low snarl and the cracking of bones caught the man's attention, and in turning, he saw a naked figure huddle below a gaunt tree, its back turned to him. Shoulder length black hair had been caked with dirt, and all over the pale figure's body were old scars. In its claws was a dead rabbit, its entrails spilling over into the thing's bony hands and dying them crimson.

_Dear God... that's him?_ the man thought. He moved forward, a twig cracking under his shoe and causing pointed ears to stand upright. "I didn't think I'd see you in this kind of state again, not ever since that time," the man called in a gruff voice.

The figure turned, golden eyes hollow and blood smearing his lips and chin. "Jiang," the gaunt man rasped.

"What the hell happened to you? You aren't even remotely strong enough to maintain your form after being dead a month," the man, Nong Jiang, said as he knelt beside the gaunt figure. "It's only been a month, and you've already been reduced to this."

Bone crunched as the figure bit into the rabbit again, his strong fangs tearing out the animal's heart. "It's been a while... hasn't it?" he asked.

Jiang nodded. "Almost a hundred years," he replied. "I would say you look well, but..."

"Cut to the chase, Jiang. What do you want?" the yellow-eyed beast snapped.

A sigh shrugged Jiang's shoulders. "I came to find you, but you had already died; I had to wait until the next full moon to dig you up. Cheng, there's a war coming upon us; the nobles are getting restless and are extending their search for us; we need you to come back."

Cheng shook his head, shoulder-length black hair swaying from side to side. "I can't; I've been on their side for the past four or so years, and I've been away from the Society way too long to be of any good," he stated.

Jiang grimaced. "Even your friends up here don't know about the war. I need you to warn them, get them on our side. As hunters, they are equally at risk of being killed along with thousands, even hundreds of thousands of our own people. You need to tell them before it's too late."

Yellow eyes looked away, glaring down at the carcass still in hand. Suddenly disgusted, Cheng threw away the rabbit, saying, "They think I'm dead! What the hell am I supposed to say when I see them again?"

"Tell them the truth; it's time you did so, anyway," came the simple reply. "You won't be branded a traitor if you do; we're all desperate now. Please, Cheng, we ne-"

"My name is no longer Cheng, Jiang. I'll tell them. Just... I need time... and food and clothes... My burial suite got moldy and crusty in there..."

Jiang nodded. "Of course. I'll take you to headquarters to rest. Come on." He held out his cloak to the yellow-eyed man, who in turn wrapped his naked body from the chill. "You're a mess. Any longer in there, and you might have started rotting."

The yellow-eyed man ignored the comment, instead asking, "Is Nuo still the Alpha?"

"Yes," Jiang answered, "though age is getting to her. As soon as she dies, Xiu is to take her mother's place."

"About time," the yellow-eyed man scoffed as he stood and wiped the blood from his hands and face with Jiang's black cloak.

The older man sighed and shook his head, saying, "You haven't changed at all over these past hundred years."

"Tch, come on, we have better things to discuss than griping about the past." The two men made their way out of the cemetery, the mist having thickened over the course of the night. Before reaching the gate, however, Jiang came to a sudden halt. Cheng turned his eyes narrowed as he asked, "What's wrong?"

"You disowned your given name; why?"

The yellow-eyed man looked away, his brow furrowed and fangs bared. "It reminds me of a past I'd rather forget," he finally replied.

Jiang nodded in understanding. "So, what am I to call you now? Monster? Beast? Thing?"

Yellow eyes closed in deep thought as if the man had forgotten a distant memory and was trying to remember. Then his eyes slowly opened, a grin forming on his thin lips. "Rui. Mao Rui."


End file.
